Having finished your studies in Australia, your next step is to figure out whether you will apply for a new visa to remain in Australia or if you will return to your home country. If you are moving back home, you may want to have a look at the following suggestions :
1. Exploring Australia thoroughly-
Australia is a huge and diverse country, so there must be plenty on your bucket list before you fly home. You can book a flight to a neighbouring city even if you have just a few days left before going home. A trip to Melbourne to see the Sydney Opera House or from the warm tropics of northern Queensland to visit the ‘red centre’ outback of South Australia and the Northern Territory, is usually a tempting idea. There are a number of airlines in Australia, so there are options to suit all budgets and you might also find tours and special deals for students.
2. Taking care of administrative matters-
This includes ordering a copy of your student transcript, paying debts to your institution, like library fines, and applying to graduate. If you had taken up a rental accommodation, you must inform your landlord that you will be moving out, pay your final bills and organise for utilities to be disconnected. If you’ve been using an Australian bank account, you will need to close the account before you leave. There are also some matters to take care of if you had a part-time or casual job, including filing a tax return (if required). If you were eligible for the Australian Government’s retirement savings scheme, superannuation, you will be able to access this money when you leave Australia through a Departing Australia Super Payment (DASP).
3. Getting rid of unwanted items-
Before you leave Australia, you should get rid of any unwanted items such as furniture, clothing and homewares. Make note of what you want to send home and what can be replaced cheaply, the money you make from selling your belongings can help fund your trip back home. You can organise a market stall or garage sale, advertise unwanted items on campus noticeboards or online directories, or donate items to charity.
4. Organising your flight home-
Study your options carefully, since many airlines offer extra luggage allowances for students returning home. You’ll also have to organise airport transfers and make sure that your passport is valid. If there are items you would like to ship home, you should work out different methods and shipping costs. Before you leave, you might want to say your final goodbyes and make a note of the contact details of friends or academic staff you wouldn’t want to loose touch with.
5. Settling back into life at home-
You may have visited friends and family over the holidays or for special occasions but, it can be challenging to adjust to living in your home country after spending time abroad. It is also possible that studying in Australia has changed some of your opinions and views of the world, which can make it difficult to fit back into your old home where things may be a little different.